


Almost (Sweet Music)

by Infamous_society



Series: Wasteland, Baby [12]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Angst, Canonical Character Death, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Inspired by a Hozier Song, Legolas Greenleaf & Tauriel Friendship, Song: Almost (Sweet Music) (Hozier), The Silmarillion References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 12:47:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29350668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Infamous_society/pseuds/Infamous_society
Summary: Tauriel is almost herself once moreA journey through Middle Earth alongside its characters accompanied by Hozier songs.
Relationships: Tauriel (Hobbit Movies)/Original Female Character(s), Tauriel (Hobbit Movies)/Original Male Character(s), Tauriel (Hobbit Movies)/Reader
Series: Wasteland, Baby [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2090121
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	Almost (Sweet Music)

**Author's Note:**

> Almost (Sweet Music) by Hozier

She almost seemed whole once again. Her laughs were bright once more, the sound of birdsong and bells harmonising peacefully. Eyes shone like the sky on midsummers day, hair flaming elegantly like the fire of her love.

No words were spoken of Ravenhill, of the snow and the blood. Mirkwood was merely a distant memory, each other’s arms eased the pain. 

Truly, you could begin to believe she loved you. 

She would take you in her arms, protect you from the cruel world, whisper words of comfort and praise. And she would smile, laugh, radiant and pure. All malicious intent within her had vanished - she no longer had the energy for hatred. 

But a sadness consumed her, perhaps she sometimes dreamed of gnarled branches under her bare feet. A silent promise was made to not speak of her suffering.

Each inn would be packed, the two of you would sit huddled in a dark corner, covering your true identities from everyone else. Her hand would lay in yours, comfortably but not perfectly, calloused from centuries of fighting. 

The ale was bitter, the mead too sweet, you both longed for rich wine that flowed freely once again. But you could not return, you could never taste the true joys of life again.

Starlight flickered gently above, waiting to guide you home, guarding your souls. Silver drops of spring would flash through her hair and eyes, colours flashing. Impulsivity and naivety had disappeared. 

And you could almost imagine your true home. Vast expanses of luxury, happiness settling deep in your souls. Perhaps Legolas would be there, Thranduil would await you - they had been fond of the both of you. But your ancestors had not made the journey across the Misty Mountains, perhaps you would not either. 

Moonbeams doused you both in glorious light, the bare ground soft underfoot as you twirled together. Her lips were soft and welcoming, poisonous - secrets still lingered within her. 

For you were not Kíli. 

When you had found her, you had believed she was dying. Curled up in pain, hiding her face and soul. But then she wept, the tears as rare as summer floods. His body lay still and unmoving beneath her, a peaceful smile on his face. She clutched something in her hand. 

And so you had been banished as you wept alongside her, the Elvenking you had so dearly loved like a father casting you adrift. Legolas had fled too. Three kindred spirits suffering, lost in the wild. You had taken Tauriel’s hand and walked alongside her. You almost believed you would follow her into death.

But you were not Kíli. Your laughs were almost his, your smiles were almost his, your soft touches were almost his. Your words, your body, your breaths were almost but they were not. 

And perhaps Tauriel could see a flicker of his ghost lingering in your face, his joy tainting your drunken laughter. Despite her attempt of love, her unspoken words sold her secrets - Kíli still occupied her mind constantly. You were merely a brief replacement. But you loved her and she was forgiven. 

Sweet melodies would flow from your mouth, dancing around the vast emptiness of the plains. Songs of spring, of waking under the stars, of many lovers you had once known. Tauriel would not sing, sometimes she would hum quietly. Her face betrayed her, her thoughts still lingered on Kíli’s words and the hushed songs they would sing together. 

Occasionally you would turn to face her, worship her beauty but she would stare into some distant sun - emotionless. You would ask if she was alright, she would almost answer - the words danced on the tip of her tongue - she would not speak. 

You were almost Kíli. 

Darkness crowded the room, the flicker of candlelight casting a dull glow through the room. A lullaby of Beren rising up like some majestic slicing the Simaril from Morgoth’s brow tainted the shadows. Tauriel laughed - hollow and haunted. Bitter. _At least Beren returned from the dead._

Perhaps it was the low murmur of the flames in the darkness but she had changed. Her hair seemed to dull, now the colour of dying autumn leaves. Paleness had consumed her skin, her body becoming frail. You blinked. The trance was broken, her face aglow once more. Haggard shadows still lingered.

You almost believed she was herself once more. You almost believed she would now willingly cross the mountains unlike her ancestors before her. You almost believed she live to hear the call of the gulls and to sail across the ocean. 

But perhaps she was closer to Lúthien than you believed, choosing mortality for love. Maybe she loved you, but soon you would be alone.

Her laughter spiralled high into the night, each menacing thought that lingered in your mind became meaningless. And perhaps you too could almost believe this would last forever. 

**Author's Note:**

> I tried to incorporate some of Almost Blue by Chet Baker into this fic - the song Hozier named this song after.


End file.
